


Years of the Captive

by RadioActivity



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: BillWill, M/M, Reverse Falls, Reverse Gravity Falls
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-30
Updated: 2019-03-07
Packaged: 2019-04-30 10:02:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 18,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14494536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RadioActivity/pseuds/RadioActivity
Summary: Will Cipher has been kept for a very long time, by the worst human beings he has ever met. Every day, he lives in power-sealing shackles, pinned to the wall and tortured by the Gleeful twins. One of them is absolutely terrible with her torture, getting more suffering out of him than he could ever imagine... her brother, however, is hopeless at his efforts. Despite his hatred for Mason, Will finds he loves him... but as worthless as he is, what would the point be? Just as Will finally thinks of a way he might be able to escape, he gets a visit from someone who can help him escape... but at what cost?





	1. You Call This Luck?

Will whimpered, closing his eyes, the pain spreading across his torso in waves. “I... please...” he whispered. “I'll... I'll do anything. I'll... I'll do anything you want or need me to do... please...”

“Mm? I want you... to suffer,” Mabel whispered, twisting the knife just a little. “Can you do that for me?”

“M-mistress,” Will sobbed, tears flowing from his eyes. “I... my... my leg... please...”

Mabel slid the knife out of Will's knee joint, wiping it off on her handkerchief. “I'm not done yet, don't heal yourself. I want to learn acupuncture.”

Will shuddered, back arching as Mabel jammed a very large sharp pole into his knee, before then beginning to jam them into his flesh all over his body. Will's screams reached through the entire building, being heard by everyone inside.

About fifteen minutes after the screaming began, Mason entered the room, glancing around. “... I heard something good from in here. He looks very humbled to you.”

“... M-master, please...” Will sobbed. “Please... please.”

“No, I'm just going to enjoy this. Sister is so skilled at these things. I wish I had this kind of skill,” Mason drummed his fingertips on the arm of the chair, continuing to watch as Mabel tortured Will.

The torture session turned out massively brutal to Will's body, pure suffering from start to finish, and finally Mabel toweled her hands off on the covering she tied back around Will's waist. Without even bothering to speak again to Will, “Brother, let's leave him?”

“Gladly,” Mason put his arm around Mabel's waist, walking with her out of the room, shutting the door behind them.

Will hung in silence for a while, before his head started adding up an unbidden solution to his problem. He softly coughed, before throwing up a massive quantity of blood, and it ran down his face, pooling on the floor in front of him. That was the solution... even if Will didn't like it. He would lose the thing he'd agreed to get from them... but he couldn't take this anymore.

About a week later, Mason entered, a long thin pole in his fingers. Will bowed his head to him, closing his eyes. “Master... th-thank you for returning...”

Mason paused, looking Will over. “Thank me?... Well, of course, but don't think that gets you freedom.”

“I would not assume that, Master,” Will kept his voice low and respectful.

“Hmm...” Mason circled him, keeping his eyes on him. “So... you would enjoy what I planned on doing with this whip?”

“I... of course, Master,” Will whispered.

“Well, let's see,” Mason grinned from ear to ear.

Will did everything in his power to bite back the sobs and whimpers of pain with every strike of the whip, and when Mason was about half done, the door opened, and Mabel strolled in, fidgeting with her white gloves. “I thought you were coming in to punish him further for his last transgression.”

“I am, Sister, but he is somewhat different today. I am still doing my best,” Mason gestured at him. “But he enjoys it, even thanking me for coming in. There have been no tears or anything. I understand I am not good at this type of thing... but usually he still cries and suffers when I do it.”

“Hmm... Show me what you have organized,” Mabel took a seat in the included chair, crossing her legs. “Perhaps your attempt is just so bad that he does not feel the need to cry, Brother. Continue.”

Mason struck him hard with the whip, this time along the bone of his throat and it hurt so bad, it took everything in Will's being to hold the noises in. Mason continued, striking Will everywhere, before Mabel finally held her hand up.

“I don't know what has possessed him... it seems he is suffering indeed, but he chooses to keep silent. That is quite good. I'll tolerate him much better if he learns to keep his mouth shut... but I would feel more satisfied if he could show he was suffering... but silently... Perhaps we'll be able to modify him for that. For the meantime, leave him there until we need him... luckily for us, it's been a few months since they've attacked us...” Mabel tapped her chin. “That is good, isn't it, Brother? We've been waiting for this worthless one of yours to be punished properly... but I am getting agitated. We need to get them killed.”

“We do,” Mason walked away, resting his rod on the table. “If Will continues to follow this path that he's on... In the next three weeks, we can give him the sealed cuffs, and sic him on them.”

“... We can, however... This pet of yours, he is a failure,” Mabel's eyes blazed. “He is incapable of killing. Three times he has went out... and three times he has failed. Shall we strap a bomb to him, and then that will determine that someone, at least, will die?”

Mason walked toward her, kneeling down in front of her, taking his hands in hers. “My beloved Sister... He is not as useless as he appears to be. I am sure he is pretending to be a failure to lower our guard... So that we believe he is incapable. He desires his freedom,” He rested his head on her knee, still holding her hands. “Trust me, he is not as worthless as he appears to be.”

Mabel huffed, removing one of her hands from his, before reaching up, stroking his hair idly. “... I do trust you, brother, but of all the things we have ever asked him to do, he has failed to accomplish every task... the most use we have gotten out of him is the information he has given us on other dimensions. Otherwise, he is very useless. He really claims to be the most powerful demon, but he is such a failure...”

“I understand. We just need to teach him that we will not tolerate his failure,” Mason closed his eyes, enjoying her gentle hair stroking. “He can still be fixed to our ways. Please, Sister... continue to trust me.”

“I do trust you, Brother,” Mabel murmured. “This world will be our playground, and you and I will be its king and queen.”

“Absolutely,” Mason smiled up at her. “We will own all of it... I do love you, Sister. You are all I have left.”

“As are you,” Mabel agreed, brushing her thumb along his cheek. “I love you, Brother.”

“And I love you,” Mason agreed, his voice humbled. “My sister.”

Will stayed silent, working hard to keep quiet and humbled, even as his body screamed from the brutal whipping on Mason's part. If Will managed to get released, he would escape the world and not come back for over a hundred years.

The sealed cuffs, though... those were the absolute worst of everything Will had to deal with. Cuffs that sealed his own powers, keeping him from being able to do his best, or leave... There was nothing he could do. Even now, he was hanging up in a power sealing circle... They had not even the slightest amount of trust in him. If he could even get the slightest glimmer of trust from them, he would never see them again.

He'd agreed to help them in exchange for all the souls in their kingdom... the one they would forge, but by this point, Will would abandon every bit of their deal, in exchange for his freedom. This was torture. He wished he could go back in time, to warn himself that he was making a mistake... But he could not.

He glanced up at Mabel and Mason, being very intimate in front of him. He lowered his eye, gloomily resting, waiting for them to free him. He felt something unnerving and he opened his eye, looking up. Nothing was there.

The unnerving feeling was haunting. It was getting more and more intense as the siblings cuddled and finally, Mason got to his feet, still holding her hands. “My sister... let's leave him here? Come, follow me...”

Mabel giggled. “Other plans, Brother?... I will follow you.” She followed him out, the two of them leaving Will to remain chained there to the wall.

Will continued looking around, before his eye fixed on the source of the feeling. On the darkened wall of his cell was a tiny pyramid symbol, etched into the wall in white. Will sighed. “Bill, get out of here...”

There was a muted poof noise and Bill threw his arms out, cane in his hand. “Hiya, Blueeeeee~”

“Bill, I mean it,” Will frowned. “Get... out. You don't belong here.”

“Do you like that? Caught up in those cuffs and chains, whipped until you want to rip your own... human...” Bill jabbed Will's arm with his cane, floating around him. “Limbs... Do you like BDSM? Well, no, it's more than that.”

“Bill,” Will growled.

“Torture fetish?” Bill questioned, amused. “Do you have a torture fetish?”

Will let out a soft, silent laugh. “You would know, wouldn't you? I came from your body...”

“Hmm,” Bill rested his cane down on the air, resting his arms on it. “True, true, true... I know you quite well though. I'd say you do.”

“I don't...” Will's voice fell silent for a minute. “... like this, Bill. You are an idiot, for having been alive this long... And thinking that I like torture.”

“Well, what can I say...” Bill chuckled. “... Want some help?”

Will looked away. “No, I have it. I'll...”

Bill chuckled. “Make a deal with me, and I'll get you your freedom.”

“I can't trust you,” Will sighed. “I won't.”

“Well, make a really firm deal, that you feel positive that I can't turn around on you?”

Will was silent a minute. “What do you get out of this?”

“Help me take over the world... or, as much area as I possibly can, and you'll get all the souls,” Bill shrugged. “That simple!”

“... I'll help you take over the world in exchange for the souls, but if you bully, or hurt me in any way that I consider malicious or hurtful... our deal is terminated,” Will gave Bill an angry, focused look.

“A real shame, seeing you bullied or hurting is the only thing about you I like,” Bill said, cheerfully. “... But, I guess. Sure. Deal?” He held out his hand next to Will's and Will hesitated.

“They took something from me... It's my part...” Will sighed. “I am weak now, Bill. Are you still sure this is a deal you want to undertake?”

“You have always been weak,” Bill answered, cheerily. “Is it a deal?”

“... yes,” Will shook his hand. “... Free me. I had to lower my pride and give in to their torture, keeping as silent and enduring as possible... even though I wanted to die.”

“You kept silent? You didn't sob and beg your way though it?” Bill laughed, turning his back to Will. “Well, hold tight, Blue. You'll be out of here before you know it!”

Bill disappeared from Will's sight, leaving Will to sigh. It would be a long amount of however long it would take.

 

A week later, there was a violent, destructive boom. The amount of terrifying crashes and destructive noises coming from somewhere in the house... Will shivered. The way the house was trembling, it seemed like the roof could easily come down on his head.

Mason came running in, looking at Will, irritation in his eyes. “What are you doing, you stupid demon? Get out of those and go get him!”

“Him?” Will repeated, breaking the cuffs off, leaving them still fixed around his wrists, but no longer attached to the wall.

“A demon has come to pay us a visit, go get him before he kills me or my Sister!” Mason screamed.

“I understand!” Will ran for the demon, intending to drive it out of the Gleeful's home. He continued running until he spotted the demon they'd mentioned... Bill. He was gigantic, flashing a sickening array of colors, causing the building to tremble as he ripped walls of it down.

“Get away from our house! We have a demon ourselves here!” Mabel was yelling, fury in her eyes. “Get him, you failure demon!”

“You are quite funny to **dare** speak so lowly to the second most powerful demon...” Bill's eye went up in fire. He grabbed Will, and Will shrieked as he was ripped through the dimensions.

 

Will gasped, shuddering as he sunk down to the ground, clutching his chest. “... that's so unpleasant.”

“Hehehe, sorry!” Bill slapped his back. “... they took your core, didn't they?”

“... uh, yeah,” Will sighed. “They'll just summon me right back and there's nothing I can do.” Will crossed his arms. “I've got to go back, otherwise-”

Bill grabbed him by the bowtie. “Don't move, Blue... I didn't authorize you to go.”

“I, uh, alright?” Will winced.

“...Look, I know what to do,” Bill shrugged. “Hold still, we can solve this.”

“I... sure? What can you do?” Will asked, surprised.

“... hmm. Nothing too serious. Don't worry about it,” Bill threw his arm around Will, laughing.

 

Will was silent, sitting in Bill's space, looking at his hands. “... Bill, that was so... Bill, that was stupid, do you really think that... Do you really think that you'll be okay?”

“Quit asking questions! Just enjoy it!” Bill said, cheerfully. “Right? If you were me, you'd be strong enough to shatter the whole world by looking at it!... But, you know, I guess now you're the most powerful demon, wouldn't you say?... until I get yours back from him. Then I'll go back to being the most powerful one.”

“Well... yes, but Bill, isn't it stupid? That was... You don't like me! And I don't like you, but that's the sort of thing only... only people who love each other and intend to spend all of eternity together do...” Will looked up at him. “I know you don't intend to spend a second longer with me than it'll take to make our deal work...”

“Ugh, you're thinking too much, thinking too much!” Bill huffed. “We never set a time line on how long our deal will be! We could be together on this forever, or for just a few human days, we don't know! However long it takes me to take this world over.”

“... oh,” Will paused. “... no time line.”

“Right!” Bill laughed.

“... please don't trap me forever,” Will sighed. “Please cut the deal at... I don't know. Three hundred years?”

“Aw, why would you do that? Apparently we're married now!” Bill clapped his hands. “Why would you already discuss our divorce!”

“Uh... Right...” Will looked at his side. “...But just in case, in case I don't... like you in three hundred years... I mean, can we re-look at all of this?”

“Ahhhh,” Bill flapped his hand at Will. “Forget it, alright? You're thinking too much! Blue!”

“Uh...” Will flinched.

There was a loud knocking at Bill's door and Bill turned to face it, snapping his fingers. The door flew open.

Will continued sitting there, through the party that erupted through Bill's space, until he felt a prickling on his skin. He shuddered, fighting the summoning. “Bill, it's here, he's...”

One of Bill's friends grabbed him by the arm, yanking him upright. He spat something demeaning at Will before Bill floated over, waving his hand. “Let him go. Blue, he's callin' to you?”

“Yeah, it's... it's just a little uncomfortable, but I can resist it,” Will closed his eye. “It's like... it feels like... I- I don't know. I don't like it. But I can say no. That'll make them really angry with me. … Good.”

“Heh, never seen someone resistin' a summoning,” one of Bill's friends muttered. “A lucky world up there on the top.”

“Eh... yeah...” Bill shrugged. “Yeah, it sure is. Too bad this one's never gotten to see the top.” He lightly prodded Will with his foot.

“Not lucky,” Will said, his tone scathing, toward Bill's friend. “Shouldn't you feel ashamed, assuming you know what I've been through? He and his sister tortured me relentlessly for years, refusing to let me escape or even have access to my powers... When he released me from the wall, he kept me in power sealing handcuffs so I couldn't use them... then he wanted to talk about what a failure I was. Of course I was useless when I didn't have access to even the slightest trace of power. But they continued to say things like... how I wasn't useless, I was just acting to be a pathetic failure, so they'd release me. It was all an act made up by me. Can you imagine how angry and hard those days were, like that?” Will demanded.

“Mm...” The demon crossed his arms. “Couldn't you have killed them?”

“Of course not... they made sure never to come to me defenseless unless I was shackled and all my powers were sealed...” Will clinched his fists. “Otherwise, they used this... protectional ward, so I couldn't get even four feet near either of them. I cannot wait hard enough for the day they die... I will torture their useless souls until...” Will shuddered violently. “... It- it's started again... Ugh, it feels so unpleasant! Like... like a silver knife, the tip of it traced around the edges of my eye, threatening to stab into it in any second... Of course, I know there's a ward around my eye but...”

“Quit focusing on it!” Bill slapped Will's side, getting him to pitch sideways. “C'mon, Blue, join the party!”

“I can't, I need to focus on... on this. Sorry,” Will sat up, floating toward the corner of the space, settling down. If he dropped his focus, he would definitely get pulled back there. Probably sealed in a power-stripping ward, he'd immediately be restrained and forced to be their servant again. Unpleasant. Finally, the summoning stopped and Will could relax.

He closed his eye, relaxing even as the noise surrounded him. What a relief it was finally over. He floated through the space, looking around at all the people doing stupid things all around him. Yeah, this wasn't his kind of space at all.

Bill was laughing, directing them to form themselves into some kind of a pyramid, taking a big drink of something from a glass. Will considered speaking to him, but then figured it wouldn't matter. Or worse, if he did tell Bill he was going to collect a few things from home? Bill would probably stop him.

Will only got a few feet from the door when he heard someone yelling after him. “Blue, where're you going?! The party's only getting started!” Bill flung his arm around Will. “Come on, you haven't even gotten to enjoy it!”

“Oh, uh, well...” Will flinched. “I thought- I thought I'd go back to my place and... pick up a few of my things? I mean, I don't know. I ought to stick around by you, right? Since I have your core... so I thought I'd bring those things back here and... yeah.”

“Well, you _could_ but...” Bill drew out the last word for too long. “You don't have any things!”

“... I have things. I have my own place,” Will frowned.

“You _had_ a place,” Bill nodded. “... it's gone now.”

“What? What happened to it?” Will repeated, baffled. “Where did my place and things go?”

“Well, you know, you were gone a while... I thought it would be the perfect chance to... to, just get rid of it!” Bill confirmed. “That way, when you got back, you'd be-”

“... Bill, you destroyed all my things?” Will echoed, stunned. “... why?”

“Well, you know, you are all the worthless half of me, so... If I could've, I would've... you know!” Bill waved his hand. “So, you don't need to go, there's no house there! It was a pile of rubble but then I got rid of even that!”

“Well, I don't have the power to terminate a contract with you...” Will shrugged, sighing. “Alright, alright, come with me, then.”

“Why are you still going?” Bill questioned, his voice whiny. “There's nothing there!”

“I think some of the things in my house that I'm going to find are still in that rubble,” Will looked toward where he was going. “So... you coming with me?”

Bill growled. “You are so irritating, Blue! … I can't ditch my party, but do you know how fast they'll turn on me the minute they realize that I'm down so low?”

“Ah... right,” Will winced, glancing toward the house. “... Right. Alright, can we wait until after the party and then go?”

“There's nothing left, Blue, I'm telling you. I know where you were living, and I got rid of it,” Bill shrugged.

“Ugh, come on,” Will looked at him, sighing. “Please? Let me go, at least!”

Bill grumbled. “Well, I guess... I'll go with you. Once the party's over!”

“Got it. Thank you,” Will nodded, following Bill back inside. The party continued on for a good length of time before finally Bill kicked everyone out.

Bill slumped down on a pile of trash, arms and legs spread out, eye closed. Will looked over at him, fidgeting with his hands. He continued sitting, fidgeting, until finally, Bill spoke up. “Quit being so impatient, that party was wild! I need some time to rest.”

Will chuckled, looking away. “... old man.” He flinched when he felt himself struck on the side with a piece of trash.

“I handled these parties extremely easily when I had my core!” Bill snapped. “Once I get your core, I'll be able to handle these parties.”

“My core...” Will muttered. “... are you- my core? Am I... keeping yours, and you... mine? It seems like the worst nightmare to imagine you with mine... if you smashed it, I'd be dead. Then you could take yours back and...”

“... you'd better not be thinking about smashing mine. Our deal would be terminated before you even finish the thought,” Bill answered, angrily.

“Of course not, even with my core, you're stronger than me. I'd be sending myself to a quick death,” Will said, surprised. “Even if you don't have yours, I still bet you're stronger.”

“I am the superior half, so of course I am,” Bill relaxed. “... if you keep that in your mind, that I am stronger... and we strike a new deal that we won't smash each other's cores... then, why not?”

“Follow up question, why?” Will crossed his arms, baffled. “I mean, we don't like each other, and I'm quite sure that you hate me... so why would you want my worthless core in you?”

“Blue, you are worthless, you're right,” Bill nodded. “But you don't know what I'm thinking! Maybe it'd be beneficial for me! Maybe you just don't know why I want it!”

“... the ideas of why you might want it give me terrors,” Will muttered.

“Oh, whatever, whatever,” Bill flapped his hand. “... I'll let you know when I'm rested up. Then you can dig through the piles of ash and see if whatever you want is in it!”

“... The thing I actually want the most?... my own core back,” Will sighed. “They... they took my core, and then kept me in these power sealing shackles, so I couldn't use the glimmers I still had... and they're just using my core like it's breathing, I can _feel_ it. I can feel them using it, and it's... horrible.”

“... what're they doing with it?” Bill asked, eye closed.

“Oh, I don't know, right now. But... they've done all kinds of things with it,” Will rubbed his closed eye. “The number of times they've used it to seal their bedroom off from keeping anyone unwanted in... uncountable. They've tried to use it to kill Pacifica and Gideon so many times, it felt like it was killing me.”

“Their bedroom. … Not bedrooms?” Bill asked, glancing over at Will. “Single?”

“Single... they're very much... together,” Will opened his arms.

“Hmm. Well, at least they like each other,” Bill shrugged.

“We'd never share a room or be together like that,” Will thought for a little while. “So... yes, at least they like each other. It was very uncomfortable having to watch their intimate couple displays in front of me. I got the impression that maybe it was a very unusual thing in that world... hince the room sealing they liked to do. Couldn't let anyone see them. I think it's kind of like... demon mating? I'd never let anyone see me do it. … Not that I've done that.”

“Heh...” Bill fell silent, amused. “Yeah, it's a little too grotesque for others to see, I'd say you're right.”

“Ugh, I don't think I could give so much of me to someone else... even if it was to create another demon,” Will shook his head. “That would mean I'd have to trust someone else that much, and last time, I trusted someone just the tiniest fraction, and they...” He touched where Bill's core was in him. “... did this... If I trusted someone completely, entirely, when they turned on me, I'd literally die. … Please don't take that as some kind of invitation on how best to murder me.”

“Eh. No promises,” Bill chuckled, shrugging. “...I haven't done it either. Who in any universe is worthy of me? No one is. Why would I lower myself for them? Real questions.”

Will chuckled, leaning back. “If I wanted to be funny, I could say something like, 'Oh, me too,' since, you know, but...”

“If you really think you are the same as me, you are wrong,” Bill scowled. “You are the cast-off waste from me, Blue. All the parts of myself that I didn't want... Which, I guess, being parts of me, that still makes you better than everyone else, but you are still worthless.”

“Hmm. I suppose...” Will muttered, thinking. “I feel I am more worthless than them, though.”

“That thinking is a good portion of why I cast you off of me,” Bill pointed towards him, without looking. “...You are worthless, but better than them. They are no good to anything except entertaining me.”

“Well, thanks,” Will murmured, glancing toward the door. “Want me to put a ward up to keep everyone out and go by myself?”

“No, that'll be a big sign to them that there's something wrong with me,” Bill's eye blazed with anger. “Forget that. Let's go.”

“Sure, thanks, Bill,” Will nodded.

 


	2. Southeast and Pines

An hour later, Will sat on the floor of Bill's space, gloomily holding the one object that had survived. “I still can't believe that you... actually destroyed my entire house. I don't even know how you found it.”

Bill laughed. “I know everything, Blue!”

“I suppose,” Will started rolling the object in his hands. “... At least this thing made it.”

“Yeah, what is that thing?” Bill eyed it.

“Ah- right. You'll need it more than I did,” Will tossed it to him and Bill caught it, eying it. “It's a power increase artifact. You'll be much stronger than you are now, it wasn't enough to let me defeat you... but it really did help.”

“Ah,” Bill said, surprised. “Yes, you're right, I can feel it. … I feel much stronger. Got it, got it, got it! This is funny! You were working so hard to beat me, but you can't! You can't beat perfection!”

“You're right, I can't. I tried... and it was a waste of my time,” Will sighed. “I just managed to survive.”

“Yup, you did. And I'm gonna keep this,” Bill laughed, waving it. “Thanks for giving it to me.”

“Sure...” Will sighed. “It's just the last thing I had left, I don't need it, really. I just sort of had it to have it. It was a... comfort. But you know, it'll do you more use than it will me.”

“Let's wait for a while and go back and make them suffer,” Bill growled.

“... Bill, I don't know if I can...” Will paused. “I- I'm... I don't want to... see them.”

“You're such a coward!” Bill snarled, clinching his fists. “You... ugh! You'll go with me, but you don't have to do anything.”

“I just-” Will shuddered. “I... they're doing it again. Agh!”

The pull on his entire existance was brutal. It was horrible. He resisted it as hard as he could, nearly screaming in response to it feeling like it was tearing his soul apart. “Ugh... we can wait, but Bill... what if- what if they break it?” Will managed, lying on the floor. “Then... then what? You'll have to take your core back, and... I'll be killed.”

“Oh, quiet, Blue,” Bill snapped, irritated. “You are a pathetic waste of my time. I spend so much time not even believing that you were part of me.”

“... mm, yeah... we are unusual that way, aren't we?” Will flinched, the pain from the refusal fading. “... It's gone. They've given up. For now. I'm sure it isn't over yet. They've probably spent all that time, worrying that I won't be able to do everything for them anymore... I am just... there wasn't a lot to me before... but they took what I had left. They... ugh. I just... ugh. If you hadn't... saved me... I was really ready to die. I wouldn't have even raised a fuss if you'd come to murder me.”

“Heh, well, maybe I should've known that!” Bill laughed.

“Well, I'm glad you didn't...” Will corrected. “But... I was really ready.”

“... Ugh. It really makes me just sick to think that I couldn't make you want to die, but those two could,” Bill growled, his mood switching in a second. “I just want to torture them to death.”

Will chuckled softly. “It's so interesting... You'd think I'd hate Mason the most... but I think I actually hate Mabel more than him.”

“Oh, really? Why?” Bill growled.

“Mason was... terrible, he was cruel and mean, and did his best to torture me, but it was the kind of torture a fresh demon would come up with. Weak. Mabel, she tortured me like a real expert,” Will flinched, rubbing his arm. “There wasn't one session she was behind that I didn't want to die during.”

“I suppose I'll have to torture her worse than him,” Bill muttered.

Will chuckled. “You don't need to get defensive for me. I survived.”

“Why would I get defensive of you?” Bill turned his back to Will. “I am mad that a stupid pair of humans thought that they could torture the second most powerful demon... without consequence.”

“Of course,” Will agreed, looking toward the sky. “... It is tough, though. I do not like either of them... but... I would still...”

“What?” Bill growled, on edge to hear what Will was about to say.

“... Um, I would still, probably, do anything Mason asked me to do?” Will flinched. “I know he's a human serpent and deserves to be burned alive for eternity... but... I do have these... feelings for him, feelings I can't describe.”

Bill snarled. “He has poisoned your mind against thinking he is as terrible as he is.”

“I suppose,” Will answered. “I just, I do not hate him. I thought his attempts to torture me were actually a bit adorable. Like... a child, attempting to learn the trade his father knew. He really gave it his best, but, he was so bad at it.” Will laughed, studying the sky.

“I would have liked to see his failure,” Bill muttered.

“It was... a little painful, but mostly amusing, like letting a child torture you so they can learn how,” Will continued, amused. “... I wouldn't have willingly let him do it, but I infinitely tolerated it better than when Mabel did it. She was... creative.”

“Like how creative?” Bill settled down on his pile of glass trash, looking up at the sky as well.

“Ugh. The one I remember the most was when...” Will shuddered. “She came in, and... in her hands was … nothing. I thought she was going to do it bare handed. But, uh, no. She had... something. I don't know what it was, a small... metal, it was a small metal object, like a metal stake but it was only, about a finger long, and one end was a little sharp and the other was round. She said it was for human nails. It was to push something back. … She, she had around seven different things to do with it... and I won't ever forget a single one of them. And I didn't even actually have a real body! I was in a wooden mannequin, but... I could feel everything, and... ugh.”

“We need to go get them, as soon as possible,” Bill growled. “Let's go.”

“Bill, no! They still haven't given up!” Will flushed. “They'll still act like I'm in a contract with them!”

“You have to be there because if they catch me, I'll be weak and trapped and forced to be their demon servant for however long they want, and you won't even be able to stop them,” Bill growled. “You have to come with me and you have to fight them, if I get taken.”

“Uh... right, just- can we- can we wait? I- I even know some humans who will help us!” Will flinched. “I just, we need... them to stop summoning me, I think if I don't show up for a while, they'll think I'm dead.”

“Humans, huh?...” Bill hummed. “Fine. Or... you want to go straight to them? Talk to them?”

“They know me. They hate me. I've tried to kill them quite a bit...” Will sighed. “... But... sure. I'm afraid, but... let's go.”

Bill floated over to Will, before snapping his fingers, transferring them over to the human world. “Alright... let's go. Take me to them. Who are they, anyway?”

“Um, Pacifica Southeast, and Gideon Pines,” Will fidgeted. “Come on. We'll head to Pacifica's place first.”

“Sure, sure,” Bill followed after Will as they headed to a small house on the edge of town, both of them slipping inside uninvited.

“It's really likely she won't believe me,” Will cautioned. “So... be prepared to flee if she won't.”

Bill rolled his eye. “Yeah, got it.”

They entered the living room and Pacifica was scratching a dog's belly, crooning at it affectionately. She turned crimson when she saw them, jumping to her feet, searching the room for an exit.

“Wait!” Will threw his hands up. “This is not a trick, I am not trying to kill you, please, I need your help!”

“The last four times you tried to kill me, I didn't believe you were that bad then either, if I trust you again, I will...” Pacifica paused, eyeing him. “And you brought another demon with you!”

“I promise, I am not with them anymore!” Will begged, tearfully. “I... they tortured me for years, I did nothing but want to escape them the entire time, I promise, I am not with them anymore!”

Pacifica made a face, but settled down onto the couch, arms crossed. “If this is a trick, I suppose I deserve death. Renounce them.”

“They are complete, entire trash, who did nothing but hurt me, torment me, enslave me...” Will trembled, clinching his fists. “... they used to actually full out torture me, for fun...”

Pacifica laughed. “Okay, okay, I believe you. We really hated you, you know... You really did almost kill us. Did you ever see the damage from the last attack you made?”

Will flinched. “I- no. I'm very sorry.”

Bill punched Will in his shoulder, getting a startled yelp from him. “Quit apologizing, you're so pathetic!”

“No, Bill, we NEED their help!” Will flinched. “I have to be as sorry as I absolutely can.”

Pacifica lifted her shirt, showing her side, a massive twist of scars all the way up to the top of her ribs. “See?... it took a good amount of time to heal. We couldn't afford to get it fixed, you know. I had to just clean it as best I could and keep it bandaged on my own. Anyway, you swear that you're not going to turn on us or kill us? I mean, I trust you, but Gideon, he's probably not going to trust you.”

“I... I know,” Will flinched. “I swear, I won't turn on you. Bill, you too!”

Bill grumbled under his breath. “Okay, look, I won't do anything to the two of you...”

“Great!” Pacifica beamed. “This is so exciting, we really have to stop those two siblings! It's like they've got the devil in them... They really are so evil, it's... they have to be stopped. They want to take over the world, you know? With their 'psychic' powers or whatever... I've seen their powers, they're terrifying.”

“My... my powers,” Will whispered. “They have a little bit... they are psychic, but not the scary kind. They took my powers from me, and they're using them. I can't just recall them, they actually have a piece of me they're using. The piece of me that has my powers.”

“But I've seen you use your powers!” Pacifica frowned, doubtfully. “Are you lying to me?”

“No! I still have a few,” Will flinched. “It's like dropping someone from 25 to 6 years old in your terms. They can still do a few things, but not nearly the same.”

“Oh, I see. I'm going to call Gideon and get him over here... Do you guys eat or drink? I have some things, but... I mean, they can't be compared to what those twins have,” Pacifica shrugged, pulling her phone out.

“We don't need anything,” Bill muttered, rolling his eye.

“Um... ketch...up?” Will flinched. “Can I have some?”

“Ketchup?” Pacifica looked up, baffled. “... Sure. It's in the kitchen, there... Want me to get it for you?”

“Um... no, I'll go get it,” Will floated off.

Bill made a disgusted noise, as Will floated off. He opened the fridge, pulling out the bottle of ketchup, returning to the main room. “You are disgusting, Blue.”

Will didn't answer, squirting the ketchup into his mouth eye, silently enjoying his ketchup treat. “It's really good. I didn't know it was this delicious... but, um, there was some on a plate that I had to wash. I thought, humans are weird, eating things. I thought I'd try it, I did sample the plates that I had to wash, see what they were eating. Ketchup was the most delicious thing out of everything I ate,” He rolled the bottle in his hands. “Want to try it?”

“No! I don't eat human food,” Bill muttered, irritated. He floated off, picking up a cheap looking vase off of a table, turning it over. Little rocks spilled out of it, all over the floor.

“Bill!” Will flinched, using his powers to pick all of them up, putting them back into the vase. “We need to stay on good terms with them!”

“I can't help it! Everything here is so boring! I can't focus on nothing!” Bill complained.

Will sighed, floating over to Pacifica. “Miss?”

Pacifica looked up from her phone call. “... Yes?”

“Can you ask him to bring one of his cubes?” Will gestured with his hands. “Bill has a very short attention span; he makes many, many messes.”

“Oh, right. Gideon, bring over one of your little brain cubes. One of the demons is a mess-maker, he needs something to occupy his mind,” Pacifica tilted her head. “Please? … thank you! I'll see you in a few!” She hung up.

Bill was looking into the kitchen, boredly. “How is this flake of a human being going to help us kill them?”

“Oh, no, you haven't seen what Pacifica and Gideon can do!” Will waved his arms. “You'll be impressed!”

“Says the person drinking human food,” Bill eyed him.

Will fell silent, continuing to drink his ketchup.

“Blue, why are you in this dimension anyway?” Bill asked, irritated. “Mine is much better. These twins are saps in my world, poor, weak, stupid... You could torture Pine Tree and Shooting Star to their last breaths over there.”

“Well... do they deserve it over there?” Will flinched. “I mean, here they do, but over there, do they?”

“Ughhh,” Bill rolled his eye. “Of course! Does it matter? They're all just humans!”

“Bill! Stop, alright, I hear what you're saying, but this isn't the place to yell things like that!” Will waved his hands. “I don't dislike humans, I just hate those two....”

Bill scowled, continuing to float around the house. Pacifica chuckled. “Demons really hate humans, huh?”

“Well...” Will fidgeted with his hands. “It's kind of... a... it's a matter of... demons view themselves as... superior beings?”

“Oh, I guess, because of the powers and the immortality thing. Right?” Pacifica beamed.

“Hmm. I suppose. But, humans have a lot of advantages that we don't, unfortunately!” Will continued fidgeting. “Breeding, for example? It's much harder for demons to reproduce, where humans reproduce anywhere, everywhere, with just whoever they want, and all they have to do is just get naked, there's no trust, no power, no severely negative repercussions! There's maybe only 5 demons created every two years, because it requires so much trust and faith, it's exchanging literally every single thing about you with that other demon... and it's so rare for a demon to trust another demon that much.”

“Hmm, really,” Pacifica hummed, thinking. “When were you created, Will?”

“Um, well, I don't know...” Will rolled the bottle in his hands. “I'm not sure... humans have a different sense of time than we do? I guess... hmm. There were dinosaurs! Those were really fun to watch!”

“Dinosaurs?” Pacifica repeated, stunned. “You're kidding! Is that yellow one older or younger than you?”

Bill huffed, floating over, increasing his size. “Much older! There was nothing living on Earth when I was born.”

“Wow,” Pacifica said, surprised. “That's amazing!”

“Yes, I was so powerful. I got to watch as the world was created, as creatures, as ocean creatures were born, as humans surfaced and lived, and I watched over mankind as it developed... I was the one who pushed the Egyptians into what they did. I was the pyramids they created to honor me...” Bill's eye blazed with a fury. “They worshipped me... And I destroyed my home world... everyone in it, and I got to the 3rd dimension, and I haven't yet done the same to them, even though, I want to.”

“That's so fascinating,” Pacifica murmured, thoughtfully.

There was a knock at the door and Pacifica went to answer it, opening the door. “Hi, Gideon, come on in!” She led him to the main room where Bill and Will were looking at each other, a little heatedly. “Gideon, this is Will, you know him, and this here is... Bill, I believe. They want us to join together and kill Mason and Mabel.”

“I don't really trust 'em,” Gideon crossed his arms. “Will has tried to kill us so many times, I don't know if I have enough fingers, and now he's got another demon here?... I'm surprised you lived long enough for me to get here.”

“It's fine, Gid! It's fine! Did you bring the cube?” Pacifica sat down on the couch, smiling at him. “Bill here needs it, otherwise he makes messes, according to Will.”

“... I brought it, I guess,” Gideon muttered, reaching into his bag. “Here.” He held it up.

“Thank you,” Will took it from him. “Bill's been doing the most he can to not make messes, but... you know, it's not possible. I've been cleaning them up behind him. Here, Bill, use this.” He put it into Bill's hands and Bill looked at the cube.

“It's a mixed-up cube? What am I supposed to- oh...” Bill's eye widened, when Will twisted the cube.

“Solve it, it's pretty fun, and I'm sure it'll only take you maybe an hour but that's one hour that you're not making messes!” Will nodded.

Bill crossed his legs, floating there in the ceiling, twisting the cube left and right. Will waited a minute before turning to Gideon and Pacifica. “Thank you,” he nodded. “He's a bit of a handful, but that cube will occupy him almost entirely until he solves it, so, that's appreciated.”

“I don't trust you, and I don't trust him,” Gideon said, irritated. “We're only alive because of our skill, so I don't know what you're doing here, thinking we'll help you.”

“I... I am really sorry,” Will sighed. “Really... I didn't want to kill you, or Pacifica. But Master forced me to... ugh. No, he isn't my anything anymore. Mason, he forced me to. I had to follow his commands, he took all my powers from me, and he kept me in power sealing bonds... so I didn't have anything left until he needed me to do something, and then with a 20th of my power, I had to do things that would've been tough at full power. And they called me a worthless failure, and said I was holding back and that I just wanted them to cast me off, but I wasn't, I gave everything I had. I didn't want to kill the two of you. I liked the two of you much more than I did them. But the saddest thing is... I didn't like either of them, I didn't like their torture they did on me nearly daily, the intimate flirting and kissing they did on each other in front of me but no one else... I didn't like anything about them, but at some point... I did … probably... fall much deeper than just like with Mason.”

“Intimate flirting and kissing?” Gideon repeated, startled. “Those twins – with... themselves? Or other people?”

“With themselves,” Will looked away. “Each other. I didn't see it as a problem, but I did feel it was wrong to see them in such an intimate time after torturing me.”

“... You are either giving us some serious emotionally devestating ammo against them... or you are lying,” Gideon scowled.

“It is not a lie. After their Great Uncles died, they only had each other left... and that bond turned from familial to intimate, romantic, even sexual,” Will nodded. “That is already where they were when they summoned me. They often found forced ways to include me in their... they called it play, but I am sure it was more.”

“Sex?” Gideon shuddered. “That is mighty gross, I must say...”

“It was not just sex, it was... different,” Will closed his eye. “But yes, it was gross. I did not like being part of it. But, at its very least, it made Mason so happy, I did not resist the forced events so much. The way humans reproduce is quite gross.”

“How do your kind do it?” Gideon frowned, raising an eyebrow.

“...I would like to not say,” Will lifted his hands, looking away. “I think to your kind, our way would be gross. It is giving up all of you entirely to the other... the trust, the power, the respect, it is something only done by fools who trust the other entirely with every last bit of you. It is... not explainable. Sorry.”

Bill snorted, getting Pacifica and Gideon's attention. “He doesn't want to explain it is more like it. I've got two sides done, so far,” he held the cube up. “... It's tough, but I'm on the edge of three.”

“Well, what is the explanation?” Gideon frowned.

“Eh... It's complicated. One partner reduces themselves to an energy puddle... a pure mass of power, with no owner. The other sucks that into their body, and undergoes a ritual, before passing the power back out. Once the power is out, it reassembles into the demon from the start, and now that demon possesses the fragment of a third one in it. Eventually, they'll have the third one, and then that's that. Rarely if ever will they still manage to trust that demon enough to do it again because if they are getting ready to have another child, and the one who doesn't turn to energy has decided they hate the other... they won't pass it out. They'll absorb it and kill them,” Bill laughed, his laugh sending chills around the room, leaving Will to look after him, wincing. “It's safe to say that no one has ever trusted me for that!”

“... same,” Will muttered, crossing his arms. “We're too powerful... they can't trust us for that.”

“... Then, why don't you guys... well, no, you're both men. Never mind,” Gideon shook his head.

“... Demons don't have gender,” Will said, surprised. “We just are. It's not male female there. It's... all. It's nothing. We all are. It's just quite apparent in this world that men have more power, so many of us choose to present as male for more power. But, I'm really not. It's fine to call me a guy, call Bill a guy, it's fine... but we're simply not.”

“Oh. Well, why don't the two of you do the baby thing, then?” Gideon frowned.

Will flinched and Bill laughed.

Gideon frowned. “What? What did I say?”

“I... no...” Will whispered.

“Never! We hate each other!” Bill laughed, amused, continuing to twist the cube. “In fact, if you knew us at all, you'd know why!”

“Uh... okay, first, why, and second, why are you two hanging out together if you hate each other?” Gideon frowned.

Bill fell silent, focusing on the cube. “... I think I am doing this wrong...” he turned his back to them.

“Um, well, it's complicated,” Will paused. “... It is a matter of... hmm. It's complicated. Bill and I... hmm. We don't... alright, the story is really... complicated. We were born in the second dimension. A flat, 2d world that... you can only travel forward, backward, left, and right... but not up or down, not at a forty-five degree angle... if someone or something is in front of you, and you can't climb over it, you can't ever move past that point. You are... stuck. Meaning we could only go back until we hit the wall of our home, and then... nothing. We lived there with our parents... and... we were not who you see right now. We were someone else. An incredibly great, incredibly powerful demon... one who had the power to destroy anything, everything, without thinking... and did. He ended up deciding to leave that dimension. He destroyed it and everyone inside it died. He moved on to the mindscape, and no one had any kind of power against him. He ruled everyone and everything... and at some point, he looked at himself, and he saw a problem. There was much in him that he considered powerful and endless, unstoppable, he was above everyone and everything. But there was also much in him that he hated. So many things he couldn't stand... worthless nothingness. So he decided to... undergo a ritual that he created.”

“I don't really understand what you're saying!” Pacifica said, baffled. “You were a guy? You're the same person?”

Bill scoffed and Will looked around the room. “Well, no, we are not the same person, not now. We used to be the most superior thing in any world, anywhere, ever. Even made that ultra powerful one wish-”

“Blue,” Bill growled.

Will coughed. “Right. Um, we were above everything. Entirely. Well, he split into two, all the parts of himself that he loved, respected, admired... the cream of the milk... and the rest, everything he despised, thought was worthless... me.” Will tapped his chest, where his bowtie was. “I am the milk, and Bill, he was the cream. Over the centuries, we have gone by more names than you could ever imagine, and have changed them whenever we tired of it. That is why Bill never refers to me, or anyone else, by name. Names-”

“-are fleeting. They mean nothing. You can be Joe today, tomorrow, Brad, the day after, Michael, and a name is just pointless,” Bill growled. “I am the only one in this entire world worth anything at **all** , and the most worthless thing in any world, any dimension, anywhere is Blue,” He pointed at Will. “So you suggesting that I, the most superior being anywhere, partner with the most worthless speck of dirt... is laughable.”

“Ouch, that's real rough,” Gideon made a face. “I don't know how you make it like that.”

“It is what it is. It is not wrong,” Will said, softly. “It is fine, I understand it. I am nothing. But... Bill, don't you think you are being a bit wrong?”

Bill growled. “What do you mean by that?”

“Well, isn't... that above you?” Will pointed up. “If it wanted to... which it doesn't... it could wipe out everything anywhere, just effortlessly. It could end us by even looking in our direction.”

“... I will never offend that, so quit mentioning it,” Bill answered, angrily. “I wouldn't dare, I'm not stupid, Blue.”

“Right, got it,” Will flinched.

“... that thing's not going to get involved in this, right?” Pacifica asked, worried.

“No, absolutely not,” Bill muttered.

“Okay, good,” Pacifica nodded.

“So, you want to get me to trust you. I don't see how you can do that. You were trying to murder us for ages, and you even went so far as to tell us you love Mason... Why do I trust you?” Gideon frowned.

“Gideon, relax! He was tortured by Mason, and it's probably a stockholm syndrome kind of love,” Pacifica laughed.

“You said what?” Bill asked, pure rage in his voice. “... Blue, if those words actually left your lips, I will...”

“I never said that!” Will turned toward him, holding his hands up. “I- I promise! I said what I feel for him is more than like, but I... demons don't love, you know that!”

“You're entirely too close too human for my comfort,” Bill muttered, angrily. “If he had actually said those words, I would have trapped him, in front of Blue, and I would have tortured him slowly and painfully to death, making Blue watch every single second, maintaining his life as long as demonically possible.”

“You really do hate Will, don't you?” Pacifica murmured, surprised. “Ouch.”

“Absolutely! He's every last piece of me that's garbage! I've hated him since before I was even in existence!” Bill agreed, cheerfully.

“As did I,” Will agreed, fidgeting with his hands. “So I get it. I understand the thoughts of how I'm trash... I can still even see- I have all of those thoughts he had, before we were split. I know why he hated me, I can see it.”

“... wait, you have his thoughts before we split?” Bill demanded, irritated. “I don't even have those!”

“Oh, you don't?” Will said, surprised. “... sorry. Anyway, will you two help me beat them? I just fled them... um, I'm not sure how long it's been. What day is it? No, wait, in better question... when were they attacked by that demon? Do you remember?”

“Attacked by a demon...” Gideon repeated, skeptical. “That was...”

“Wasn't that a couple months ago, Gid?” Pacifica asked. “Yeah, it was, right? The whole Tent of Telepathy was in pieces, they were so angry, it took like, two weeks for them to fix it up... Their whole telepathy ruse has really gotten rough lately, Mason's been doing really awful at it.”

“He's not actually telepathic, he's just extremely good at manipulating people, and making them think that he knows all that information about them. Now, he has my powers... so he is so much more powerful than... than ever,” Will muttered, looking away. “But I can't... read minds, so he can't either.”

“Hmm,” Gideon murmured, taking a seat next to Pacifica. “He's really good at that lying, everyone who comes through here is super sure that he's telepathic.”

“Lying is his skill,” Will agreed. “... Do you guys mind us looking like this or would you prefer a human form?”

“... can you warp into humans?” Gideon raised an eyebrow.

“No, but if you get human mannequins, posable ones? We can move and we'll look human, just like... that's what Mason had for me,” Will flinched.

“Hmm. What do you think, Pacifica?” Gideon looked at her. “Get 'em human forms, or...?”

“Well... they look kind of foreign as triangles... Let's get them,” Pacifica nodded. “Sure. Can you change your appearance, Will? Or is that way, the weird, genderless form you had... is that just it?”

“I can look however, I just took that form because he wanted me to,” Will nodded. “Is there a way you'd like me to look?”

“Hmm. I don't know,” Pacifica tapped her foot. “I'll think about it. Gideon, want to wait here while I go get the mannequins?”

“We can't leave them alone, so yeah, go for it,” Gideon checked his phone. “Go on.”

“Sure! Thanks!” Pacifica headed out.

“... Don't you two pull anything,” Gideon muttered, not looking up from his phone. “I do know some things on how to beat demons, I've studied it.”

“Got it, thank you for trusting us,” Will nodded, clenching his hands.

Gideon fell silent, continuing to toy with his phone. Will watched Bill toy with the cube, before Bill paused his tinkering. “... what? Do you think you can do better than me, Blue?”

“Ah! No! Of course not!” Will flinched. “I just think that you're really good at that!”

“I think what I'm doing isn't the right way to do this. I'm going to completely scramble it and try again. My way will solve it, but it will take too long,” Bill scrambled the cube. “... Here, you scramble it. I wonder if my scrambling it will actually be more rigged. If I'll scramble it in such a way that it'll be more easily solved... that's not the solution I want. You scramble it.”

“Oh, sure,” Will took the cube, scrambling it with focus. He passed it back to Bill. “Here you go!”

“Great!” Bill held the cube, glancing up at Will. “... he's not really noticing us, is he?”

Will looked up at Gideon, watching him on the phone with someone... sounded like someone he was in a relationship with. “I think he'd notice if we do something crazy, but no, not really.”

Gideon was laughing, shaking his head. “You'n your video games, huh? I'm surprised you haven't gotten sick from all that soda'n potato chips. You're a real catch of a guy!”

“Yeah, he's pretty preoccupied with his boyfriend,” Will nodded.

“Yeah, he's focused. Want to give him something else to focus on?” Bill agreed, passing the cube in between his hands.

“Yes... wait, no!” Will's eyes widened. “Don't do that! Bill! If they decide we are a problem, they'll cast us out!”

“You said yeeeeesss...” Bill said, cheerfully. “Alrighty! Here's what we're gonna do!”

“Bill- I-”

“I'll tell you what I want you to do, and then you do it, and then I'll do what I'm going to do,” Bill said, smoothly, his words swaying Will almost effortlessly.

“I... uh...” Will winced. “... What is it...?”

“Alright, here's what I want you to do,” Bill murmured something to Will, getting Will to look around, shiftily.

 


	3. Escape!

“... That's... complicated...” Will muttered. “But... uh... sure. I'll do that...” He used his powers to manipulate the things in the room, the way Bill suggested. “.... finished.”

“Great! Now I just...” Bill snapped his fingers and Gideon laughed at a joke his boyfriend made, before he fell silent.

“Uh... 'ey, I... there's some... some weird stuff going on here. I need to let you go,” Gideon frowned. “Sorry. I'll call you back.” He hung the phone up before turning on Bill and Will.

Bill was focusing on his cube again, not looking up to see Gideon.

“Why'd you two do this?” Gideon demanded.

Will looked up. “D-do what?”

“My cousin's living room is upside down! That's what!” Gideon scowled. “You'd better fix this!”

“Uh... I guess it is!” Will looked around. “Sorry, I got a, um, a power increase since I got away from Mason. I must've been too focused on the cube! I'll resettle it.” He gently focused his power and the living room settled back the way it was.

“Yeah, I told y'all not to pull anything! You'd better not pull anything else or I will exorcise you,” Gideon said, irritated. “I mean it.”

“We- we got it,” Will flinched. “I mean, that was an accident, anyway. Won't happen again.”

Bill was laughing from next to Will, and Gideon gave him an irritated look. “Whatever, don't do it again,” He turned back to his phone, calling his boyfriend again.

Once Gideon was in a call with his boyfriend, Will gave Bill a withered look. “... Bill, I got scolded.”

Bill continued laughing, just amused. “Hilarious! Entirely worth it.”

“Me getting in trouble wasn't worth it,” Will muttered, irritated.

“How manipulatable you are is always worth it!” Bill beamed. He started twisting his cube, seeming a little bit divided as he worked.

“... What's up? Are you alright?” Will asked, baffled.

“... I'm alright,” Bill looked away. “Just thinking about something. Get away from me.”

“... Huh?” Will repeated, surprised.

“ **Get away from me!** ” Bill repeated angrily.

Will rushed across the room, going to hide on the other side of it, baffled by Bill's sudden mood swing. Once Will was distanced, Bill continued twisting his cube. Will floated around the other side of the room, looking up when Pacifica staggered in. “These things aren't light, are they?” she rested the two of them onto the floor. “... Alright, now, get in them, I guess.”

“It's not that easy,” Will flinched. “No, you've got to summon us into these forms. I'll talk you through it, step by step.”

“Oh... okay, sure,” Pacifica sighed.

“They're going to be trouble, Pacifica,” Gideon muttered, hanging up his phone.

“Are they? Why?” Pacifica asked, surprised.

“Ugh, a few minutes ago, I was on the phone with someone, and I look up, your entire living room is upside down! I was so mad, I nearly spit fire! I told 'em to fix it immediately, and Will did, but it still made me mad.”

Pacifica giggled. “That sounds like such a fun prank! I would've loved it.”

“I didn't,” Gideon muttered, looking down at his phone. “I ordered a bunch of demon warding products while you were gone, in case they turn on us after those two're gone.”

“I got it. Give me some time, I've got to get these two summoned so they take these forms,” Pacifica nodded. “Okay, Will, teach me what to do.”

Will instructed Pacifica to go get some things, and the two of them started on making Will's. Bill immediately complained. “Why him first?”

“Well, we don't know you yet. I know, I shouldn't trust Will so much already, but I don't know you. I just think Will is less likely to betray us,” Pacifica smiled at him. “Sorry, I promise you'll be immediately after!”

Bill rolled his eye, returning to his cube. They set up Will's summoning, looking at it carefully. “Yes, that's perfect. I'll be summoned easily with this. Put the mannequin in it.”

“... Will, isn't this... um, this is pretty sad!” Pacifica said, surprised.

Gideon knelt down next to her. “... This is him? … yeah, I get what you mean. It is sad. Here, is a tear... This is a... is that a literal heart? Like out of a body heart?”

“It is,” Will nodded. “Here is a... um, well, do you- do you know what this is?” Will pointed to the bottom one.

“... um... no. It looks like a misshapen ball with strings coming off it,” Gideon squinted at it.

“Um... it's- it's not. It's an... um, it's an eye...” Will flinched. “... Actually... a real eye, with-”

“Agh!” Gideon staggered back, and Pacifica looked away.

“That's horrible!”

“Um, yes, I'm a disaster!” Will looked toward the next space. “S- so! Bill! His thing. He's much more easily called than I am! Do you guys have a photo of someone you dislike?”

“... We got a photo of those two,” Gideon sniffed, still disgusted by Will's description of his own circle.

“Great, bring it here!” Will nodded, cheerfully.

 

They continued working before Will instructed them how to summon him, and then how to summon Bill. “Bill's whole summoning is more simple than mine,” Will sighed.

“Well, that's okay! I still know how to summon the pair of you!” Pacifica smiled. “Okay, here we go...” Pacifica went through the summoning of Will, and Will felt himself pulled into the body in the circle. Pacifica immediately turned her back, covering her face. “Agh!”

“Sorry!” Will flinched, but snapped his fingers. “Okay, all dressed! Do I look alright?”

Gideon looked him over. “Well, it was weird seeing a naked genderless person... but.. you know, you look pretty okay. What's with the hair, though?”

“Well... it's... um, it is,” Will held his hair up. “See? I only have one, so...”

Pacifica turned to him, rubbing her arms. “Um, okay, so, now, that one,” she pointed at Bill. “... Let's... do that.”

Will nodded. “Let's get him here.” He helped them get Bill's set up and they summoned him, Bill coming into it with a puff.

Bill sat up, looking at his hands. “Fun! I'm back in human form~ It's been a long time!”

“Been a long time, huh? Why's that?” Gideon eyed him.

“Just has!” Bill got to his feet and Pacifica staggered back before letting out a long breath.

“... Right... not a human male... just a... a human being.” Pacifica sighed. “Okay...”

“Let's see...” Bill strolled over and picked up a sheet in the living room. “Oneeeee second~” he swirled it around him and it turned into an outfit for him, well made and tailored. “Alright! So, now I'm all ready to go...” He strolled over to Will, throwing an arm around his shoulders. “Useless Blue here is ready to go... So, what do you two think we should do?”

“Hmm. It depends on what you two can do,” Gideon nodded. “We need to know what you two're capable of. I've seen what Will can do, but it isn't much...”

“Oh, no, I can actually do a lot more than that,” Will flinched, fidgeting with his hair. “I just, I was weak. They stopped me from being able to do what I can do...”

“Oh... well, what can you do?” Pacifica asked, surprised.

“Um... well, a lot of things?” Will thought a moment. “What- uh, alright, ask me to do something, and see what my limits are.”

“Okay, make me a cake,” Pacifica nodded. “Without going to the kitchen.”

“Ah... yes,” Will clapped his hands and a cake appeared between them. “Chocolate alright?”

“Hmm... I prefer strawberry, can you make it strawberry?” Pacifica giggled.

“Oh, sure, let me make the kind she used to love,” Will nodded, floating the cake upward, clapping his hands again. “Here you go. Strawberry white chocolate cream cake. Will that do?”

“Yes! I want to eat that right now!” Pacifica beamed. She took it from him, scurrying off to the kitchen. “Um... Gideon, want a slice?”

“Hmm. Sure, give me one... you can eat first, just in case it's not even good,” Gideon waved his hand.

Pacifica went off to get the cake cut, poking her head back in a moment later. “... want some cake? Will? Bill?”

“Heh, sure, cake me!” Bill grinned from ear to ear, his unsettling eyes giving her chills.

“Um... you don't have more... ketchup, do you? That's the only human thing I actually enjoy eating,” Will flinched.

“Sorry, that was all of it, but next time I go out, I'll buy you three or four bottles,” Pacifica nodded. She disappeared back into the kitchen. She emerged a moment later with three plates, handing one to Gideon and the other to Bill. She took a seat at the couch, beginning to eat, Gideon's eyes on her. “... this is the best cake I've ever eaten!” Pacifica said, surprised. “... no, I'm serious, this cake is unbelievable. Gideon, take a bite!”

Gideon scoffed, taking a bite of the cake. “It's... woah,” He fell silent. “It's really soft, and fluffy... lightly sweet, but... I'd say it's really rich. How'd you do that?”

“It was a very exact recipe I had to follow, I'll never forget it,” Will winced. “It doesn't take anything, so if you guys ever want cake, just ask.”

“It tastes like lower level demon,” Bill announced, dropping the plate to the floor.

“Ah!” Will clapped his hands and the plate and mess disappeared from the floor. “Bill, don't make a mess!”

“Human food is gross!” Bill chuckled. “Why do you need to clean up after me?”

“Uh, good question, why do you need to clean up after him? Can't he clean up after himself?” Gideon gestured at Bill.

“Well... this is tricky to answer...” Will flinched. “It's, um, well, Bill is very... um... very... he... he puts... himself first. He doesn't... really...”

“If we weren't depending on your help to defeat those two snakes, I'd set this town on fire!” Bill said, cheerfully. “I have more power than you two can dream of!”

“Uh, but, but uh... wait, Bill, they summoned us, we have to make a deal with them,” Will paused. “Don't skip the important steps!”

“Oh, right... Wish you'd kept your mouth shut, Blue,” Bill muttered, irritated. “So, what do you two want from us?”

“We want to defeat Mason and Mabel. Help us defeat them, and then go home,” Gideon muttered, irritated.

“What do we get out of that?” Bill chuckled, crossing his arms. “Come on, though... Give us something.”

“You get their deaths!” Gideon returned, irritated. “What else would you want?!”

“Bill...” Will winced. “Um, that's fine by me, I accept...” he held his hand out. “But, Bill will be a bit more difficult.”

“Are you serious? You're just going to accept!” Bill said, angrily. He smacked Will's hand. “You're literally trash and I get why you were casted out of me.”

“Um, let's not... make that conversation,” Pacifica frowned. “Look, whatever he is, whoever... whatever is going on, it bothers me to hear both of you tearing him down. He's still more powerful than anyone else in this world except you, Bill. Doesn't that make him better than the rest of us?”

“The people in this world don't even get a ranking,” Bill frowned.

“Okay, well, what do you want?” Gideon scowled. He shook Will's hand before he changed his mind.

“You can't give me what I actually want,” Bill said, cheerfully. “So... let's see... What do I want... Okay, I have an idea. Once those two failures are gone, give me their house!”

“Uh... how?” Pacifica said, surprised. “It's not- it isn't our house...”

“Get the deed and keep it,” Bill said, cheerfully. “You two're welcome to do anything you like with it that isn't destroying it until I come back!”

“Oh... well... uh, sure...” Pacifica wrinkled her nose. “... That's fine. We'll move into it! Want to live there with us, Gideon?”

“Yeah, it's nicer than my house,” Gideon muttered, looking at his phone. “Sure, why not. Just me or my Dad, too?”

“Both of you! Just don't get in our way,” Pacifica laughed. “Anyway, help us stop them, forever, and in exchange, we'll take their house, for you.” She held her hand out. “Is that okay, Bill?”

“Eh, it's a weak deal, but as long as I get to kill 'em!” Bill said, cheerfully. He shook her hand before she changed her mind. “Alright, let's get to this! How do you suggest we get to them?”

“It's very hard at the moment,” Pacifica smiled, sitting down at the couch. Gideon shifted, his back to the armrest. “They've got some kind of... bubble, around their house. You can't get in unless they let you in, so even if they're unlocked, you still can't get in.”

“I can,” Will held his hand up. “I just need to disable their ward, which isn't easy, but it's possible. Once I've done that, we'll have to move into the next stage. We need to decide what we're going to do once we get inside.”

“Is that a surprise?” Bill laughed, entertained. “We're going to murder them, of course!”

“That's no way to make a plan!” Will stomped his foot, shaking his head. “Alright, one second, I know this place better than anyone. Give me a giant piece of paper. … please, sorry. I sounded demanding there.”

“One moment,” Pacifica flounced off to her room. She brought out a large piece of posterboard, handing it to Will. “Here you go. I thought you might need a pencil or something, so I grabbed one too.”

“Thanks!” Will lay it out on the floor, looking over the paper. “Alright... here we go.” He began drawing, in a very rapid pattern across the paper.

Bill stood over him, watching as Will drew a complex map across the paper, marking all entrances, exits, and doors of all kinds. He settled back, studying it.

“Wow, that's a complex map, could you make one of those of my house?” Pacifica said, impressed.

“Trap me here and force me to do every single chore in the entire house for two years, and probably,” Will nodded. “Alright, this is the entire first floor of their house. Here is where we'll enter, the front door... but this way, it leads to the kitchen, dining hall, laundry room... all the rooms that are critical to household functions. This way, we've got this empty room,” Will tapped on it. “It was my own personal dungeon. Bill and I won't be able to enter this room, it's completely filled with power sapping wards and with our powers, we can't cross it. This room is out of our power. If they enter it... we're done for. Bill and I won't be able to do a thing to get to them. Down here at the end of the hall, this is their room,” Will tapped on their room. “No windows, nothing, but I do believe there is a secret passage... here.” Will touched it. “It more than likely leads underground, to their personal... um,” Will shuddered.

“Personal what?” Pacifica knelt down, studying the map.

“Um, their personal torture basement. It has an out, so... if they get to that room, we'll lose them,” Will sat back, looking down at it. “On top of this floor, there's an upper level, too, it has windows there, but their powers are strong enough with my … um. … my powers that they took... they'll make it fine to the ground. We'd need to leave someone out front in case they slipped out the upstairs windows... and it'd need to be someone powerful enough to kill them. We have to come up with the best way to stop them that doesn't lead to them entering here, here, or here.” Will pointed at the entrances. “If we want to split them up, we can wait until Mason goes to the Tent... kill him there, and send another of us here, to kill her.”

“I didn't get the impression you were thinking about killing them,” Gideon gave Will a focused stare.

“Oh... I wasn't, really,” Will flinched. “Bill just keeps saying that, so I... I mean, they're wanting to enslave the world. They have the powers to do it, too... so... why not stop them? They... they're horrible people. Some of the tortures they did to me are... you would not want to hear what they did. They would not be good leaders.”

“No, they wouldn't,” Pacifica tossed some of her hair over her shoulder.

“... I, um, if it's possible, I'd like to not be... there, when Mason...” Will paused. “Look, if he dies, that's fine. He will die, it's not changeable. I just don't want to see it.”

“I'm gonna save it as a memory to show you!” Bill said, cheerfully.

“Oh, of course,” Will rolled his eye. “You are ever so charming, Bill.”

“Of course I am!”

“Can- can he do that?” Pacifica asked, surprised. “Can he... turn events into memories? Like, like a video?”

“Yes,” Will sighed. “He can.”

“Hmm. Actually, I'm a bit weaker right now, I wonder if I still can,” Bill tapped his cheek. “Blue, do something stupid, I want to see if I can.”

“How about I don't?” Will sighed. “I'm not interested in getting a memory of me doing something stupid.”

“Aw, but those are my favorite kinds of things you do!”

“Yes, I don't like them...” Will shook his head, fidgeting with his hair.

“... Alright, well, whatever...” Bill shrugged. “Let's get to figuring this out!”

 

They continued working on their plan for defeating the Gleeful twins for the next three months, before they finally finished their plans.

“This took forever,” Bill complained loudly. “Can we hurry up and get to them already?”

“Um... Yes... are- are you sure that I have to... to be there for... Mason?” Will flinched.

“Are you going to leave me to die?”

“... no. I'll go with you. Let's go,” Will rubbed his arm. “So... they have a... thing, tonight?”

“Yea'll,” Gideon agreed. “Mason's gonna be at the tent, and I don't know where the girl is. She isn't at the tent, so I'm guessin' home. I don't know.”

“Got it,” Will sighed. “... him first... You two, go out to their house, and wait for us to show up, unless you want to see Mason be... killed...”

“We- we'll wait at their house,” Pacifica nodded. “We got it. We know the plan.”

“Mabel is much smarter than Mason, so make sure she doesn't see you,” Will pointed at her.

“I know, I know, we've went over the plan a hundred times!” Pacifica laughed. “Okay, come on, Gideon, let's go.”

“Uh, got it,” Gideon glanced up from his phone. “Let's get movin'.”

“You and that phone, it's like you're twins,” Pacifica chuckled, walking with him toward the door. “I don't ever see you not looking at it these days. What, do you have a girl or something?”

“Um... no. We'll talk 'bout this later, come on, we don't have much time to get ready!”

Pacifica shrieked softly, heading out with Gideon. “You do! Who is she, Gideon? How long have you two been dating?”

Gideon shut the door behind them.

“... Well, Bill...” Will sighed. “Let's get going. Not much time to... do this.”

“Yup!” Bill flung his arm around Will's shoulders. “Let's do it!”

 

Bill and Will headed out to the tent of telepathy, standing toward the back, watching Mason use Will's powers to trick everyone. Will gazed at him, even across the distance. Bill grabbed him by the chin, yanking him to face him. “None of that, Blue! Get that stupid sappy look off your face. Don't forget why we're here.”

“Ah... yes,” Will flinched. “I- I haven't! I just... he's very demon-like, for a human, isn't he?”

Bill rolled his eye, irritated. “He wouldn't stand a chance in our world with even the most low-class demons.”

“Ah... no, probably not,” Will answered.

Mason held his hands up, before dropping into a bow. “I hope you all enjoyed tonight's show, please, continue to come by and enjoy my performances... Thank all of you. Good night!” He walked off the stage, heading right.

Bill yanked Will along behind him as they left the tent, going to catch up with Mason. Mason was standing outside, holding onto something and looking up at the stars. “You address him first,” Bill smirked, nudging Will.

“... of- of course...” Will whispered, looking at Mason. “... m-mason...?”

Mason whirled on his heel, giving Will the most relieved look Will had ever seen on him. “Will! You've returned. Forgotten some of your manners, but that's okay, we can put them back into you! You got away from-” Mason frowned, suddenly, his eyes seizing on Bill. “... What is that?”

Bill stalked toward Mason, grinning from ear to ear. “It's me, you pathetic sap. Did you miss me?”

Mason staggered backward, before snarling. “You're that demon who took him away from us! What use has a demon for another demon?”

“Lots of reasons!” Bill said, cheerfully. “Either way...”

Bill snapped his finger and was out of the mannequin in a flash, growing to the size of a building, reaching down and snatching Mason up off the ground. Mason screamed, tightening his grip on what he was holding. “You won't manage to hurt me!”

Bill shuddered, releasing Mason from up as high as he was, getting a scream of panic from Mason. Will turned his back, unable to see it.

“Will, you blathering idiot!” Mason screamed from the ground, limbs twisted in grotesque ways. “Why are you just standing there? Stop him!”

Will focused his power, throwing his hands out. He broke the seal Mason had put over himself with Will's powers, and Mason choked. “Will!?! What the hell are you doing?”

Bill closed his hand around Mason's neck, looking down at him. “This will be the end for you, Gleeful.”

“He won't let me die! He can't! We have a deal!” Mason screamed, around the hand closing off air in his throat. “Will!”

“Heh, your contract is terminated,” Bill said, cheerfully. “He and I have one now, and that involves your death. Should've taken better care of the second most powerful demon.”

Will shuddered, burying his face in his hands. “Bill... Bill, stop... either hurry or... I can't. You know...”

“Right, I do know!” Bill's voice was bright. “You know, he loves you? If you'd shown him the slightest kindness, he would have done everything for you!... But you didn't! Lucky me, because now I get to do this.”

The screaming started, and Will sealed himself in a silence bubble, so he didn't have to hear it. Them too, he put in one, a sight and sound bubble, and he sat on the ground, rocking back and forth, trying to forget what was happening behind him. After a long time, Will felt his bubble be smashed and he tearfully looked over his shoulder. “... Is it... is it... over?”

“Yeah, I'm real disappointed in you! You made yourself miss the entree!” Bill beamed. “But wow, was that fun? It really was! Wait'll you hear what I-”

“We don't have time,” Will said, staggering to his feet. “... Mabel. She's... we have to.”

“Oh, yeah, look what I got~” Bill held up Will's piece, winking at him. “Now we get to be proper!”

“Oh, well, here...” Will went to reach for Bill's piece but watched in surprise as Bill jammed his own piece inside of his body.

Bill trembled violently as his body adjusted to it, and finally, he straightened up. “Let's get going!”

“I, uh, sure...” Will said, surprised. “Your mannequin?”

“Right, right!” Bill went down inside the mannequin, taking it over again. They transported to the manor, intending to meet Mabel there.

 

Pacifica was drawing patterns in the dirt with a stick, glancing up when Bill and Will showed up. “Oh... you're back. That was fast. Everything work out?”

“Sure did!”

“Yes, he's dead. I... I saw the parts,” Will shivered. “Bill, uh... dissected him, and... then turned the parts into... It looked like gold. I don't know.”

“A beautiful mess!” Bill agreed. “Alright, let's worry about this sister, right?”

“I don't think she'll be able to accomplish anything without him,” Will muttered, looking away. “But... who knows? She still knows how to summon me. She won't stop.”

“Let's get in the house,” Bill nodded. “We've learned what rooms not to let her get into... let's go.”

Will crept up to the door, unlocking it with his powers, moving inside. Bill, Pacifica, and Gideon followed behind him. Mabel was seated at the dining room table, arms folded in her lap. “... You're entering like Will,” was all Mabel said, before turning her head to look. “... It is you, but you look different... you brought friends,”

“I... yes,” Will shook his head. “What you and your brother have been attempting... it's wrong. We're...”

“... He won't arrive here fast enough,” Mabel said, simply. “The imitation piece, it can't stand a chance against him,” she gestured emptily toward Bill. “... I suppose I'll be killed.”

“Yes, you will. Mason has already been killed,” Will answered, studying her face.

Tears slid down Mabel's face, and she closed her eyes. “I see. Then please, take me to meet him. I felt like something was terribly wrong... ten minutes ago, I felt my entire world crumble... so that's... that's what it was. I give in. Do as you will.”

“Aw, this isn't fun!” Bill laughed. “But gladly!”

“Pacifica, Gideon, get out of here!” Will ordered, startled. “Hurry!”

Hearing the fear in Will's voice, Pacifica and Gideon fled for the exit. Will walked slowly toward the exit, hearing the terrifying noises at his back, leaving Bill to do as he gladly wanted to do.

He settled down on the ground outside, staring down at the ground, waiting for Bill to emerge. Finally, Bill exited the house, carrying a roll of paper. He dropped it into Pacifica's hands. “Here~ you own this place now. Keep it in good shape for me?” Bill winked. “It might be a couple hundred years before I come back for it!”

“My... my family and I will do our best...” Pacifica's hands curled around it. “... can you clean up the mess? If I have the deed and they're dead in bits all over the house and tent... they'll think I...”

“Oh...” Bill rolled his eyes, before teleporting inside. A minute later, Bill returned, chuckling. “All cleaned up! Welcome to your new home!”

“...The townspeople won't believe I was given this deed. Is it possible to...” Pacifica paused.

“I'll manipulate their will and the memories of everyone, to accommodate this,” Will held his hands out, looking to the sky. “It's all done... there's nothing left.”

“That's so neat,” Pacifica said, unrolling the deed. “... What a surprise.”

“Sorry,” Will chuckled. “... I'm going to go in for a few moments. Excuse me.”

Will entered the house, walking back to his room. He paused at the door, before pushing it open. The room itself gave him nausea. He didn't know how to explain it. He walked over to his small box, removing the two things from it he had, putting them away. He sat down on his bed, more of a foldout camping bed, looking over the room. There was still signs of Will's torture spread around the room, and he hated it. Luckily, he had to see little of them actually being dead-

“Whatcha doin?” Bill asked, cheerfully, leaning on Will's shoulders. “Absorbing your past suffering?”

“Hmm... yeah,” Will looked at the ward circle over in the corner, pointing at it. “See that thing? You couldn't even imagine the tortures that I went through in that thing. No, maybe you could. … Made me wish I'd never existed.”

“Aw, real shame there, Blue! Come on, they're getting ready to go back to their houses, no point in hovering around here!” Bill hustled Will toward the door.

“Right, of course.” Will followed Bill out the door and over to Gideon and Pacifica, Bill talking to them a moment, before teleporting them to Pacifica's house. Will settled down on the couch, looking toward the ceiling. “How's your 6x6 going?”

“Hmm, good question,” Bill looked around. “I don't know where that cube is!”

“Isn't it in the kitchen?” Will pointed.

“Come on, let's go look! I know if I left you, you'd be sitting here sadly, and sadness is so irritating to me, so, forget it, come on,” Bill pulled Will into the kitchen, the two of them looking around for Bill's 6x6 cube.

“Ah, here it is, you put it next to this small wave square,” Will picked it up from next to the microwave, and held it out to Bill. Bill took it, smirking, passing it between his hands.

“I solved it once, but... it's complicated. I can solve it again the same way, but who wants to only learn one way?” Bill shrugged. He set it back down on the counter, hooking Will by his belt, yanking him close. “Where're you going to go after this, Blue?”

“Uh, after this, after this... my home, I guess?” Will frowned, wondering what Bill was saying.

“... I don't think so,” Bill answered, his voice low and dark, sending sparks across Will's mind.

“I- uh...” Will flinched. “What do you mean?”

“I said, no,” Bill grabbed Will by the elbows, holding him tightly. “You like that hard lifestyle, don't you? I'll lock you up in my home, trap you there, make you entirely mine... you are already, but you think you can do whatever you like... and as mine, you can't.”

“As... yours?” Will shuddered, looking up at him. “I'm not... I'm not yours... I don't belong to anyone,”

“You belong to me,” Bill demanded, studying him. “In fact... reduce yourself to energy, prove you trust me.”

Will shuddered. “Don't... don't eat me, Bill... you'll bring him back. Don't eat me.”

“Yeah, whatever, reduce yourself,” Bill demanded.

Will was silent a moment before leaving his mannequin and fearfully reducing himself to energy. Bill leaned forward, inhaling Will slowly and carefully. Bill settled down on the counter, smirking as he felt Will inside him, moving slowly. It actually did feel good... blissfully powerful. Like Bill was the top of everything...

A head poked into the room and Gideon looked around. “Where'd Will go? He left his body there,” Gideon pointed. “He better not be up to anything! Just because they're gone, it doesn't mean he can get away with anything!”

“... He's not,” Bill said, in an even, measured tone. A tone odd enough to get a weird look from Gideon. “He went back to the Mindscape. Don't worry.”

“Hm... whatever,” Gideon left the kitchen, grumbling.

Bill breathed out slowly, expelling every last trace of Will from his body, shivering. It felt really bad, pushing Will back out. Will reformed, sinking down to the floor, shaking like a leaf. “Bill... Bill, that was...” Will gripped the floor.

“I know...” Bill answered, looking up at the ceiling. “... I get why people do that, and I simultaneously get why they don't.”

Will looked away. “That felt... great, and terrible, for me. It was like... pure fear that... that I wouldn't get to be me again, but... also, this pure satisfaction. A rush...” Will didn't say what was actually on his mind. That little game of Bill's... he could feel something inside him, a mini living... something. Bill would definitely kill any sort of clone they made.

“It did feel good, but... at the end, terrible,” Bill agreed. “I wished I hadn't pushed you back out.”

“Bill, that was wrong,” Will re-entered the mannequin, turning his back to Bill. “... that was malicious. I'm terminating our deal.”

“What? It was not!” Bill demanded, angrily.

“I said if I considered anything you did malicious, our deal was done, and I do,” Will walked toward the living room. “We're done.” Will knew he had to get away from Bill before he figured out his secret.

Bill grabbed him by the wrist, growling in his ear. “I won't let you go, Blue.”

Will smacked him away, fleeing to the living room. “Thank you both for your help! I have to go.” He bowed to them, and by the time Bill had grabbed him, Will was already gone. Bill growled, throwing the mannequin to the ground. He didn't speak a word to them, going to the mindscape himself.

Will hid himself away as best as he could, settling down. He understood entirely why demons didn't reproduce. Bill would have lost it if Will had admitted this error. He wondered which of them would emerge... would it be Him, or Bill, or another Will? Focusing, Will could feel that other thing inside him.

He would have to hide from Bill harder than he ever had now. If Bill found him now...

Will chose not to think about it. His life had been so bad these last five years. Two more, and things would get better.

 


	4. Twenty-five

“Alright, it's time to move again,” Will looked down at the tiny demons floating around him. “You two remember what to do, right?”

“Get our stuff!” One of them agreed. “Got it! We've done this a LOT! We remember!”

“Good, go on,” Will tapped his back, watching the little green triangle float away. The other one, more yellow than green, fidgeted.

“Do we need to? Again? We've never run into what we're running from...” they muttered. “I'm … I like this place. I like it more than the other places.”

“Yes, I'm sorry,” Will looked down at them. “If he catches us, we'll all be killed! I promise, that's not me making it up.”

“... right,” the yellow-ish one sighed, floating off.

Will watched them float off, feeling proud. The little ones were so perfect, Will was really proud of them. Who would have thought that he and-

“Got you.”

The voice sent chills all across Will's body, and he shot away, surprised. He whirled to face Bill, enraged and frightened for the lives of the little ones. “Bill, you need to get out of here!” Will turned to face him. “Our deal is over, why are you here?”

“You took off, ending our deal, and you still have my piece!” Bill demanded, angrily. “You belong to me, Will!” He grabbed him by the hand, yanking it upwards. “You thought you could escape and I wouldn't find you?”

“You have to leave!” Will demanded, in a panic.

“... what's going on?” The green one floated back into the living room, studying the sight.

Bill's eye landed on them and he fell silent. “... oh. So this is why you left.”

“You're making a lot of noise...” The other one floated out, looking up at Will and then the two of them studied Bill. “... that's the one who'll kill us!” They pointed.

“... Get away from him,” Will managed, feebly. “Go,”

“Order them to stay or I'll make you wish you hadn't,” Bill snarled.

Will shuddered. “If it comes down to you killing them... I'd rather wish I hadn't.”

“Keep... them... here,” Bill snarled.

“... Kids, wait a minute,” Will said, shakily. “Just... maybe... please wait a second.”

Bill released Will, floating over to the yellow-ish one, studying it. “This is mine. Isn't it? That one too.” He pointed at the more green one. “They're both mine. Why aren't they clones?”

“We are not yours!” The yellow-ish one said, angrily. “We belong to no one! Papa raised us, so if we had to belong, we're more belonging to him than anything else!”

“... Yeah, I was right. This one even acts like me,” Bill muttered, looking at it with interest.

“Um, Alex, you should get away from him... he seems dangerous,” The green one muttered.

“No way, Jamie, mind your own! I can take care of myself!” Alex retorted.

“He's a copy of you,” Bill muttered, irked. “Why aren't they clones?”

“We must be different. Not just exactly each other, but... I thought they'd be clones too, either you, me, or Him... but they're neither,” Will looked away. “Bill, don't hurt them. They're... They're weaker than both of us, they can't-”

“Of course they are, they're still young. Only a year old so far, right?” Bill pointed at Alex, poking him roughly. “But I bet they'll end up stronger than either of us. Stronger than Him.”

“Quit it, jerk!” Alex floated over to Jamie. “Come on, let's just get out of here. Papa will be fine.”

Bill snapped his fingers, trapping the house in a power bubble. “No, you don't leave. I need more time to understand this.”

“Don't hurt them, Bill. They'll stay away from you. I've spent all this time telling them they will never be able to stop you, and they should be afraid of you... they won't stand against you,” Will flinched. “Kids, go to your rooms, alright? Just for a bit.”

“Stop packing?” Alex asked, sarcastically.

“Um, yes,” Will managed. “Just go on.”

Once the kids were gone, Bill looked around, trying to process what he'd seen. “This was why you said that you felt threatened by it. This was why you took off.”

“I, uh, I could feel one of them. The other one, I didn't know they existed until they emerged,” Will muttered. “Don't kill them, Bill. I promise they'll stay away from you.”

“... Genderless names, huh? Have they not decided to be men yet?” Bill continued looking around the room, surprised. “...ah, no, stupid question. I just don't know... I should've expected, but I didn't. … Papa. What am I?”

“Bill,” Will muttered. “They don't know who you are.”

“Ugh,” Bill crossed his arms. “... What do they seem like they are?”

“Uh, well... Jamie is really fluid. This day, they're very masculine, this day, they're very feminine, this day, they're both, and they never... the feeling is just in them, they don't decide on it,” Will crossed his arms. “Very normal for kids at this age. Alex, they're almost... nothing, but not in a way that's bad. I don't see any signs of gender in them. They like masculine and feminine things the exact same. Could change any day, or could just be properly agender. We chose male for power but if Alex doesn't need to be male for power, they could be anything.”

“Alex will more than likely decide male,” Bill muttered. “They're too much like me to pass on the power being male will bring them.”

“Yes, well... hopefully I'll get to see. Please don't kill them.” Will flinched. “Please, we've been living moving from house to house since they were born...”

“You're stupid,” Bill flicked his forehead. “Our deal was never turned off if the termination wasn't met. Isn't that right? You're still going to help me take over the 4th dimension.”

“... Ah. Well, if you don't hurt Alex or Jamie, then yeah, I will help you again,” Will sighed.

“Of course I won't,” Bill answered, irritated. “Why would I kill my own creations? I'm furious with you for continuing to think that I would.”

“Good... thank you,” Will rubbed his face. “I really worried that you'd think they were some kind of threat to you...”

“Let's have a hundred of them,” Bill's tone was smug.

“What?” Will blurted, startled. “Bill, I don't know, I need more time, I just had them a year ago!I can't just … why? Why a hundred? I can't generate an army in my body!”

“That's what I was thinking, generate an army! We can beat the fourth dimension with pure numbers!” Bill replied, cheerfully.

“Every time we do that, I have a good chance of not being spit out again, and dying,” Will turned away from Bill. “I really am not into the idea of doing it like 98 more times.”

“They're twins, so maybe only 49 more!” Bill gestured down the hall. “Come on, think about it at least!”

“... We hate each other, these two... they weren't intended by you in the slightest, or me... really. I just... I care about them deeper than I have anything, so I can't imagine anything happening to them,” Will gestured. “... Imagining 98 more of them, that's... we don't even like each other! I don't know why you made me... have them. You hate me.”

Bill growled, forcing Will down onto his back, eye blazing red with fury. “Do you really think I would have made that happen even in spite of my hate for you?”

“What are you saying? That you don't completely hate me?” Will demanded.

Bill growled. “Of course I... ugh! Why are you making me do this?”

Will fell silent. “... But, I am... I'm worthless. Why would you...”

“The whole of reality is a spectrum!” Bill threw his hands out. “The fourth dimension is lower than the lowest demon in anywhere, every demon in the mindscape has a spectrum, you and I are above all of them, but you are still worthless, do you know what that makes them? If you, who is above millions, is still worthless, can you imagine what I think about them? They are bits of dust, dust that can speak and think at the lowest level, they are not even worth looking at! Look at all of consciousness as a spectrum, and see it how I do... and understand what I see!”

“We are below him... the Axolotl,” Will managed, looking away. “But... If I really look that deep into it... I understand. I kind of get what you were thinking.”

“You _are_ worthless, but you still have marginally more worth than all of them!” Bill muttered, rubbing his closed eye. “Do you understand?”

“I understand as much as I can,” Will sighed. “...I get what I can get. So... are we... a unit?”

“... You are closer to that than anyone else in any reality could be,” Bill looked at him. “More yes than anyone else ever could.”

Will chuckled. “I never would have ever imagined that you would be referring to me as anything close to that. Anything more than a worthless failure...”

“Well... it is what it is, you are closer to me than anyone, but still too far away for me to ever think of you in a fond way,” Bill crossed his arms. “So... 98 more, right?”

“Right,” Will murmured, closing his eyes. After a moment, he realized what Bill had said. “Wait! No!”

“You said yes~” Bill laughed.

“No! Look, I- I need more time,” Will said, nervously. “Look, I need... I need time, wait until... I don't know, give me ten years! Then I'll... I'll consider this again but... look, this was a terrifying two years!”

Bill chuckled. “Well, wait for ten years, and we'll see how many kids we have!”

A door opened and Alex looked out. “... Is he killing you? Should we leave?”

“N- no,” Will sputtered, scrambling away from Bill. “No, he's not killing me. No... um, can you get Jamie and come out here?”

“Yeah, sure... whatever,” Alex went into Jamie's room, looking into it. “Hey, get out here... Papa's calling.”

Jamie floated out, fidgeting with the object in their hands. “Hi... what's going on?” Jamie didn't look up from their object.

“Well, I wanted to... ah. I figured since he promised not to hurt any of us, you should get to find out who this guy is...” Will gestured at Bill. “This is-”

“The dorito demon!” Alex pointed at him.

Will flinched and Bill laughed. “I've been called that! Also nacho demon, and one eyed monster, and a lot of different things!” Bill beamed. “I'm Bill Cipher, but whatever you wanna call me is alright, I'll know you mean me!”

“... right,” Jamie fidgeted with their cube. “... why do we need to know who he is, Papa?”

“Well, he's the other parent who made you,” Will muttered, rubbing his hands together.

There was an awkward silence from the two kids. Finally, Alex burst out, irritated. “So, we've lived from house to house for our entire lives just because you had a lover's spat? Ugh!”

“Can we stay in this one, now?” Jamie fidgeted. “I like this house.”

“Um, yeah, I think we can,” Will sighed.

“... I'm irritated,” Alex muttered.

“Yeah, me too, this one took off after the ceremony, and I didn't even know you two existed until I came in here,” Bill shrugged.

“I'm irritated that our entire lives we've been running from you for no reason!” Alex threw their hands up. “Just... Papa, this really makes you look bad.”

“... I know,” Will sighed. “I was just scared that he was going to kill you two or... all three of us. He's so powerful none of us really stand a chance against him. I know, it was... I didn't trust that he was going to let us be a family, or be a family with us.”

“Well, now we're going to create 98 more of you!” Bill beamed. “This time, he won't run away.”

“... look, as long as he doesn't pull anything else like that years of running from place to place, I'm alright,” Alex frowned, crossing their arms.

 

The next years went by in a flash, too fast for Will to count, but one day, Bill left, extremely confident about his plan... and he didn't come back. Will sat at home with the five kids who were still at home, the other twenty had moved out already... and he idly fidgeted. No sign of Bill. He supposed he ought to go see where Bill had gone... He warned the five kids to stay safe at home, he'd be back soon.

With that, Will transported to the world Bill had left to, and looked around. There was no sign of Bill anywhere... After a bit, he bumped into two men who seemed extremely alarmed to see him.

“It's Bill!” One of them cried, pointing.

“Wait, no, it isn't!” The other corrected, holding his arm out across the other. “He looks very much like him, but it isn't him. Either way, don't shake on anything he has to offer...”

“I don't want a deal... do you know where Bill has went?” Will fidgeted, looking around. “He's... gone. It seems like he's been gone for a while, but I couldn't tell you how long.”

“Two years, yes... We'd tell you, but we don't want you shaking a deal with him!” One of them yelled, angrily.

“Stan, relax, but we're not going to tell you,” The other reassured, studying Will.

“... We, uh, we already have a deal... I just, is he dead, or something?” Will flinched.

“If he's already got a deal, there's nothing he can do,” Ford nodded. “Let's go ahead and show him. He doesn't seem as evil as Bill, he's not trying to woo us or anything.”

They led Will to Bill's stone statue, showing him it. Will looked at it, floating around it. “... This is not him.”

“ **What**?” The two of them demanded, startled.

“I- let me,” Will flinched. “Let me explain? This was him, obviously it is, look at him,” He gestured at the statue. “But... he must have called the one above us... this is not him anymore. In another place, another time, he exists, but only as a shadow of himself. He's not Bill anymore... now he is something else. … That makes me wonder why he hasn't returned to us. But... you don't need to fear this statue anymore. There's nothing in it. … I guess he lost. Thank the two of you. I appreciate it.” He bowed to them.

“... Are there a lot of demons who look just like Bill but in different colors?” Stan asked, frowning.

“... There is only one. Will Cipher,” Ford frowned.

“Soft correction,” Will straightened up. “There are a few of us now, we had children. We've had 25 so far, the first two looked startlingly like Bill, the others.... different.”

“... Twenty-six Bill clones,” Stan muttered, rubbing his face. “I don't like the sound of this.”

“Oh, don't worry, none of us are anywhere close to as powerful as he was,” Will reassured. “In the last eternity, I've never encountered new Bill... so it's really possible it'd be a long time, if ever, that he'd come back. … I didn't recognize you, Ford. … You and I are really similar, aren't we?”

“I don't think I'd ever say that!” Ford scowled.

“Well, we've lived for so long, running from Bill, trying to survive while he tries to murder us at every step, and both of us had periods where we existed in harmony with him...” Will paused. “Aren't we?”

“... yes, that's true enough. But I never would have had his kids,” Ford protested.

“Right. Well, I did. And I need to get back. The last five are young, but if an enemy picks up what's happened to him...” Will looked at the Bill statue. “... Well. I'll have to kill them. Excuse me.”

Will transferred back to their world, heading back to his kids, to make sure they made it to adulthood.

But when all the kids went off to their rooms, Will settled into the living room, closing his eye. Wherever Bill was, Will would wait for him to come back... he never would have imagined that Bill would lose!... Well... oh well... He'd come back eventually. This meant unfortunately, now Will was the most powerful demon, behind the power of the Axolotl. … Well, he'd do his best. If Bill came back and was disappointed in how Will had done... who knew what would happen? But... Will felt like Bill would never return. Nothing to be done about it now, he just had to fill the space Bill had left behind.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All done~ Not much to do beyond this point, really. While I'd PERSONALLY love a story that is literally just Will living and ruling the Mindscape after Bill lost his life to the Axolotl... I think I might be the only one who wants a Will Cipher story of the Sims. Thanks for reading it! I hope y'all enjoyed it. :)

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there, y'all. ... Hmm. I'm not really sure of what all I've got to say here. I've tried, over and over and OVER, to write a Will Cipher fanfiction. I've written 6 of them, and every last one doesn't even touch what is in my head. It's like I can't get to my Will Cipher head content. Even this one! This one, though it's the best I've managed, and the only one I've managed to finish, it's still nowhere near where I want to get with my Will Cipher content. It's like trying to spell a word but you only have half the letters. I absorb anything and everything I can find with Will Cipher in it, but... Every attempt I make personally doesn't feel correct. So if this is not the Will Cipher story for you, I'm sorry.  
> Believe me, I have been giving all I have to make a good Will Cipher story. I probably should've just given up but I can't give up on my love. The greatest thing to ever come from Gravity Falls, and he's not even a character from it! ... Go figure, I guess.  
> I hope you guys liked it. If not, let me know. It's okay, I can take it. ;) Or just tell me what I did wrong! I want to make one of these which is right... Come see me on Tumblr! I'm trashdove6. I'm friendly! I just... it's hard for me to communicate these days. I love doing it! I just sort of think I run out of things to say. Who knows...


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